Arts & Culture

Their website says that “Jim Sandoro and his wife, Mary Ann, have spent more than 45 years collecting memorabilia, antique vehicles and historic artifacts to visually display the rich transportation history of Western New York.” That statement says a lot, yet somehow, it doesn’t come close to capturing the enormity of that collection, a portion of which is on display at the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum in downtown Buffalo.

The Buffalo tour season is far from over! Explore Buffalo will take you inside downtown buildings, Blessed Trinity Church, Goldome Bank, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf and even the subway. Three City of Light Bus tours are also offered in December along with the December Spotlight Tour of the new Curtiss Hotel.

Advance reservations are encouraged but not required for all tours. Reservations are required for City of Light bus tour and the Curtiss Hotel Spotlight tour. All credit card payments must be made in advance. Advance reservations with a credit card can be made online until the tour starting time; cash or checks are accepted at the start of the tour. If you make an advance reservation, please print your confirmation email or be prepared to show it on your phone. Most tours are between 90 minutes and two hours in length. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather!

Two high schools located in Buffalo’s Irish Heritage District will benefit from the second Collectors & Artisans Expo taking place just one week before St. Patrick’s Day in the historic Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road, South Buffalo.

The Saturday, March 10 event will feature dozens of local vendors and artisans selling a wide variety of merchandise, from antiques, collectibles and memorabilia to unique handcrafted items.

A portion of the proceeds collected at the event — including 100 percent of the $2 admission price — will be donated to Mount Mercy Academy and Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School. The Buffalo Irish Center will also receive a portion of the proceeds.

Western New Yorkers can grow their holiday spirit while buying local on Dec. 2 and 3 as the 23rd annual Yuletide in the Country Holiday Artisan Market returns to the Event Center at the Hamburg Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. This year’s event will feature more than 150 predominately local artists!

Nearly three dozen juried artisans from near and far will come together from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 for the 41st annual Roycroft Winter Festival! This highly anticipated Western New York holiday tradition will take place in East Aurora Middle School, located at 430 Main St. in the village.

The juried artisans, including several Roycroft Artisans and Master Artisans, will offer a wide variety of beautifully handcrafted items. Artisans taking part in the event offer everything from jewelry, wood, clay and books to metal, tile, glass, leather, pottery, sculpture and more.

NFB Publishing in Buffalo announces the release of Shadow By the Bridge by author Suzanne Zewan.

Set during the time of the infamous Linden, N.Y. murders, Shadow By the Bridge is written from the perspective of 11-year-old Linden resident Fritz Reynolds and focuses on how these terrible events change his hometown and himself. In the book, Reynolds recalls his father telling him that man is the only creature who can find amusement in killing. Little did he realize that those words would become the theme for his teenage years growing up in the rural hamlet.

In this coming-of-age story, Reynolds takes us back to a simpler time when neighbors gathered at the general store to listen to radio shows, drank barrel-aged cider and worshiped at the Baptist Church every Sunday. All was picturesque in his close-knit farming community until terror was unleashed on them.

The holiday season will be on display at Enjoy The Journey Art Gallery in West Seneca thanks to a variety of upcoming classes, exhibits and events.

November’s featured event, the Evans Art Guild Member’s Exhibit, will run from Nov. 1-25 with an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. December’s gallery member’s exhibit, “The Artist & Their Subject,” opens on Nov. 29 and will run through Jan. 2. An opening reception will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, and will feature live music by Dana Eric Misenheimer.